Living

Though I don’t necessarily subscribe to all of the commercial notions of what Valentines Day “should” be, I love the spirit of the holiday, and how it can manifest itself – whether through words, actions, or the perfect gift. I’ve put together some of my favorite picks for the latter.

It can be so hard to find chic valentines and supplies, so this year I asked the wonderful Amy Blessing to help us with a day of inspired holiday crafting. We invited a few friends and their little ones over, and Amy helped us create items that felt both festive and new.

Earlier this week, Pamela shared her thoughts on the plusses and particulars of soaking your grains. But grains and legumes aren’t the only foods that can benefit from this process – nuts and seeds should also be soaked for the same reasons. Here are her helpful how-tos for soaking nuts and seeds.

Just like the many other tips, tricks, and guidelines for clean cooking and eating that Pamela has given me over the years, her advice regarding soaking grains definitely made an impact. I asked her to share her thoughts on the importance of this process as well as how to easily do it for yourself.

I first met Marlien on a Lucky shoot years ago when she was their West Coast Editor. Some time later, I ran into her identical twin sister Coliena (her adorable daughter Phoebe goes to school with Tanner), and through her, Marlien and I reconnected.

My kids had so much fun decorating gingerbread houses last year that we just had to do it again this year. For last year’s festivities, Annie Campbell helped us make our own incredible houses from scratch. However, after realizing that none of the kids actually ate their creations because they took such pride in them (and were too busy eating candy along the way), this year we decided to instead buy pre-made kits from Bed Bath & Beyond.

I’ve found that some of the best gifts are those that have a personal touch. So when my friend, the amazingly talented Annie Campbell, shared this idea for homemade gifts, I just had to pass it along. Here, Annie’s instructions for creating your own gifts that are as beautiful as they are practical.

I met Claire years ago through my husband and my friend, Kimberly Muller. She is striking – a beautiful 6’1″ English-born brunette, and the mother of two adorable boys, Lucky, 8, and Rocco, 6. Claire has lived many lives in terms of her career – a former model and actress, she co-founded C&C California with Cheyann Benedict, in hopes of creating of the perfect vintage-inspired tee. She did that and more, and after selling C&C, dove into interior design.

During this season of giving and receiving, I am always on the hunt for the perfect gifts. Maybe I do go a bit overboard, but it’s hard not to when the finding can be so much fun! This is especially true when it comes to gifts for the little ones. So, from dolls to decor, here are some of my favorites for yours

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Barrett and I had lots of mutual friends growing up, but it wasn’t until recently that we actually met. She spent a number of years working in fashion before embarking on a new phase of her life that would lead to her role as chef and owner of Valleybrink Road. What began as a blog to share recipes, Valleybrink Road has evolved over the past year into a successful boutique catering company offering on-site personal chef services for parties up to 100.

I met Michelle through Caroline in my office – they both grew up in Southern Louisiana and reconnected when Michelle moved to Los Angeles. Law school brought her to New York, where she practiced for several years, eventually coming to the realization that her true passion was interior design. After training with interior designer Daniel Romualdez, Michelle started her own design firm – Studio MRS. She recently finished both Prabal Gurung’s studio and apartment and is currently completing homes in Haleiwa, Hawaii and Palmetto Bluff, South Carolina.

I had the pleasure of meeting Beatrice not long after being introduced to her amazing shoes. With many friends in common, we were bound to be connected at some point, but it was my friend Lauren Soloff who originally put us together.
Born in Los Angeles but was raised in Mexico City, Beatrice has enjoyed a life filled with travel and discovery. Both a footwear designer and weaver, she describes her life’s work as that of bringing joy and beauty into people’s lives (including her own) – whether it be in the form of handmade shoes, a wall hanging, or by bringing artists together at the Echo Park Craft Fair, which she founded and co-hosts with Rachel Craven.

I met Rachel a couple of years ago through mutual friends and instantly fell in love with her linens and overall style. Now based in Echo Park, Rachel grew up in the arts-focused neighborhood of Tribeca, and as the daughter of two painters, enjoyed a richly creative upbringing. She attended The School of Visual Arts, and upon graduation moved to Los Angeles for work as a fashion stylist. Shortly thereafter, her focus shifted back to her love of painting and design, and ultimately, to success in the form of her eponymous line of textiles.

The second part of my profile on two very stylish sisters, Alexi (pictured on the right) is younger sister to Ariel, and extended family to my very close friend, Zach. Alexi grew up in Placitas, New Mexico, but later went to college, and then law school, in Los Angeles.

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Rip & Tan is the daily experience within the world of designer Jenni Kayne. Named after her daughter Ripley and son Tanner, the blog is an online peek into Jenni's elegant homestead, where her creative circle of friends and family personify the soulful stories and lush images of modern California living.

Jenni lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Richard Ehrlich, Ripley, Tanner and their dogs, Chachi and The Dude.